Thursday, February 28, 2013
What Are the Health Benefits of Eating Fruits to Lose Weight?
There is one food you can eat when you want to lose weight that you will never get enough of. FRUIT! Fruit is one of the healthiest foods available, and for many it is so readily available, we forget to eat it often enough.
Every time you go to the grocery store, chances are you pass it, or you don't buy nearly as much as you are supposed to consume. Each day we are supposed to eat 2-3 fruits and vegetables each. Most days, most of us, don't eat more than one each.
If you like fruit though, using fruit to lose weight is a great idea. Most fruits taste good, whether you like them sweet or sour, and they are a healthy alternative to the other junk we eat every day.
If you are interested in using fruit to lose weight, you need to eat 5 fruits a day. If you don't already eat a lot of fruit, your body will go through a detoxification of sorts when you start eating 5 servings of fruit a day. This is normal and you shouldn't get too sick. The benefits will far outweigh any trouble you have.
The benefits of eating a lot of fruit include many things that are going to aid in your weight loss. You will have a lot more energy. Fruits are packed full of water, nutrients, and fiber.
All of these things add up to more energy for your body, not to mention they aid in relieving symptoms of many disorders, such as IBS, Diabetes, and the aging process.
In addition to energy, you could lower your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and chances of getting diabetes type 2, some cancers, and heart disease. Over all you will be much healthier if you start eating more fruits and stop eating all the junk you have readily available.
You might be concerned though about adding fruit to your diet. But, actually, it isn't as difficult as you might think. For instance because you will be eating so much fruit you can drink juices too. Orange juice for example (better with the pulp) is great to mix with other fruits in the blender and drink. Apple juice, cranberry, and grape juice are alright as well, but you won't get the fiber that is so helpful to your diet this way. In other words try to eat most of the fruit, 3-4 servings per day should do.
Drinking a lot of water will help as well, because it lacks calories. Additionally there are some fruits that are better than others. For instance berries, melons and grapefruit are great for losing weight. Each of these fruits are jam-packed with nutrients that help your body in numerous ways, you just have to include in your diet as much as possible.
It really isn't too hard to stick to your fruit diet once you get started. You will like the fruit, and you will feel so much better so quickly, the weight will seem to melt off. Give it a try, start eating more fruit today, and lose weight, the natural way.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
The Importance of Water in Losing Belly Fat and How Caffeine Adversely Affects Your Body's Water
If you want to lose belly fat you need to drink water, a minimum of 64 ounces per day. Dehydration increases body fat. Dehydration also causes an increase in glucose (sugar) in your blood until reaching the liver then the increased glucose is stored as fat. The livers' job is to change stored fat by metabolism into energy. Metabolism is a continuous chemical and physical process going on in living organisms and cells creating energy.
Our blood is 90% water and our body weight is composed of 75% of water. The jobs of water are many: assists in digestion, transports nutrients, metabolizes your body's fat and cleanses toxins out of your body. Nutrients from our foods are broken down in the digestive system, becoming water-soluble.
Dehydration will cause your blood to thicken. The reason for this is the lack of water in your body. Your body will steal water from other parts in your body, one of the places is the capillaries. Capillaries are tiny blood vessels passing blood from the arteries to the veins.
The capillaries will shut down from the lack of water.
Therefore dehydration will interfere with the livers' job of converting stored fat into energy, producing belly fat and fat in other parts of the body. Also, dehydration causes the kidneys to malfunction. The liver will than overwork itself, trying to compensate for the malfunctioning kidneys. The kidneys' job is filtering waste, toxins, ingested water and salt out of the bloodstream.
According to Rob Poulos, a fitness author, even though 64 ounces is the recommended amount of water he suggests drinking 100 ounces of water daily, especially if you are exercising. Water is an appetite suppressant assisting in losing belly fat naturally.
Caffeine is a diuretic meaning when you consume a sugar-laden cola drink the caffeine's job is to force stored water out of your body. Consequently if you are dehydrated you will aggravate this problem by consuming a caffeinated drink laden with sugar, storing more belly fat and overworking the liver at the same time.
Mild dehydration causes fatigue, a reduction of 5% of water in your body will affect 20-30% of your physical performance, at a 10% reduction in your water level will make you physically sick and at a 20% reduction level of water in your body you will die.
The results of dehydration are many: constipation, headaches and toxicity causing illness.
But drinking enough water will flush out waste products in your kidneys and liver. Keeping your body healthy, only if the intake of water is enough. So therefore if you are trying to lose that belly fat water is much more than a necessity, it is a must.
There are many studies showing that drinking sufficient amount of water will cause a reduction in the risk of colon cancer by as much as 45%, bladder cancer by 50% and can reduce the risk of breast cancer. If consuming water can have such an impact on these critical diseases, than the importance of water in losing that belly fat is tremendous.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
How to Lose Calories Fast - 3 Effective Ways
Studies have shown that cardio is without a doubt the best way to burn fat and lose calories. The good news is studies also showed that one can actually burn more fats and lose more calories doing less, instead of more of those tedious cardio sessions. Read more below to find out how.
To reduce fat cells and lose calories effectively and efficiently, one just needs 3 types of exercise variations.
1) Low intensity, slow training. These kind of slow speed, low effort workouts increase one's endurance and build fitness foundation. Long (> 45 minutes) sessions train muscles to keep going and in addition, they aid in recovery, refuelling the body for the more intense sessions on other days. 158 to 240 calories are burnt in one session of 45 to 60 minutes which is 4 calories per minute. Minimal effort is required.
2) Mid intensity, rhythm workouts. Mid intensity, medium-speed sessions push one close to one's anaerobic limit, which is the point the body transit from burning a higher percentage of fat to more carbs. One will be feeling somewhat out of breath. This ensures that calories burn at an effective rate at this stage. However, don't clock more than 2 of these sessions a week so that the body has time to recover between workouts. Burn 130 to 195 calories in a 20 to 30 minutes session which works out to 6.5 calories per minute. In terms of effort level, one can just hum a couple of lines of a favourite song during the workout.
3) High intensity interval training. This form of exercise will create a higher metabolic rate and speeds up calorie burning. It has been proven that 7 hours of high intensity interval training over a period of 2 weeks raises one's fat burning power compared to 12 hours of mid intensity workouts. However, such intense workouts will cause damage to muscles and does not aid in muscle repair and recovery although it does help build lean muscles. Overdo it and muscles can weaken. One can lose 80 to 200 calories in a 10 to 20 minutes session which translate to 8 to 10 calories burnt per minute. Because it is so intensive, the effort level is definitely high.
To reduce fat cells and lose calories effectively and efficiently, one just needs 3 types of exercise variations.
1) Low intensity, slow training. These kind of slow speed, low effort workouts increase one's endurance and build fitness foundation. Long (> 45 minutes) sessions train muscles to keep going and in addition, they aid in recovery, refuelling the body for the more intense sessions on other days. 158 to 240 calories are burnt in one session of 45 to 60 minutes which is 4 calories per minute. Minimal effort is required.
2) Mid intensity, rhythm workouts. Mid intensity, medium-speed sessions push one close to one's anaerobic limit, which is the point the body transit from burning a higher percentage of fat to more carbs. One will be feeling somewhat out of breath. This ensures that calories burn at an effective rate at this stage. However, don't clock more than 2 of these sessions a week so that the body has time to recover between workouts. Burn 130 to 195 calories in a 20 to 30 minutes session which works out to 6.5 calories per minute. In terms of effort level, one can just hum a couple of lines of a favourite song during the workout.
3) High intensity interval training. This form of exercise will create a higher metabolic rate and speeds up calorie burning. It has been proven that 7 hours of high intensity interval training over a period of 2 weeks raises one's fat burning power compared to 12 hours of mid intensity workouts. However, such intense workouts will cause damage to muscles and does not aid in muscle repair and recovery although it does help build lean muscles. Overdo it and muscles can weaken. One can lose 80 to 200 calories in a 10 to 20 minutes session which translate to 8 to 10 calories burnt per minute. Because it is so intensive, the effort level is definitely high.
Monday, February 25, 2013
What Really Matters If You Are To Lose Weight
Many people find it hard to shed off extra weight especially when they work jobs that do not require physical activities. Today, there are so many exercise programs, diet programs, weight loss pills and other products and services offered to people who want to keep in shape. Nonetheless, these can only work when the person involved takes them seriously. Here are some things that really matter when you want to achieve the ideal fitness you want.
Taking it slow
Even though many weight loss programs talk about the idea of losing weight fast, it is a better option to take it slow as long as you notice a progressive loss in excess pounds. Losing 1 pound a week is not a bad idea after all. In fact, if you want to make a longer-lasting effect, do not rush ahead and lose about 10 pounds in a week. That may be possible if you follow a serious diet and exercise regime, but the weight may simply spring back easily. If this is the path you choose, then make sure you can find a way to maintain the loss in weight in the long run.
Sticking to a program
If you decide to follow a certain program, never lose sight of your goal. You may experience plateaus along the way but that should not discourage you from continuing. Stick to the program until you finally reach your goal. It may take a longer time to achieve your goals if you are seriously overweight, but keeping everything going is a necessary move you have to consider.
Diet over exercise
Following an effective diet plan is crucial. Although exercise helps you lose weight, diet plays a more important role in the process. Remember that the calories you take in should be lower than the calories you expend if you want to drop in size. However, it is still a good idea to follow a regular exercise schedule to ensure optimum results.
Make use of supplements
Diet supplements help you lose weight in the process, but be sure to use those that work. It is necessary to read product reviews to determine what they can do for you. Nonetheless, do not rely on these products primarily. Usually, these products come with their own recommended fitness programs. Follow these programs carefully to take advantage of their full benefits.
Conclusion
Remember to take it slow and always stick to a given weight loss plan. Consider following an effective diet plan as well and check out proven diet supplements that work. As long as you keep yourself motivated to follow your plans through, you can achieve the ideal weight you want.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Taking Part In A Forever Body Transformation
Many people start to look at themselves in the mirror after the holidays come to an end and the new year begins. Some may decide that this will be the year they start getting their bodies into shape and create the svelte look they desire. This can be a challenging moment as one begins to chart out a plan to accomplish their goals. There are various options available when one starts the journey towards a forever body transformation.
One might want to look into a program that offers a number of benefits. This would include offering videos that one can learn from on how to properly perform exercise routines that can help them get into shape and lose weight. A person may also want help in establishing a personalized program from them to follow as they work themselves into a good physical condition.
There are some professionals who feel that the basic issue is addressing the battle they can rage inside a person wanting to change their appearance. On one side are the thoughts of how to become more active and eat better. On the other side is the urge to just lay on the couch and let the former feelings pass.
Some may seek the assistance of others to help them stay motivated as they work through their programs. There are websites that offer the kind of encouragement and knowledge that keep some people working towards their dreams. These sites can offer a person methods on how to change the way they live in order to stay on the course that they have laid out for themselves.
One of the biggest issues a person can have is knowing what exactly is good to eat. There are numerous schools of thought concerning this issue. Each has their own guidelines that can often contradict those that are offered by different schools of thought. This can be very confusing and can make someone become frustrated
Controlling how one eats is only one part of the solution to weight control. One should also find ways to burn off extra calories while keeping their muscles toned and fit. There are many exercises one can perform to gain the best benefit as controlling their body size.
However, people often face the same challenge associated with food intake. They need to learn what physical activities offer the best chances for success.
Many people to look the best they can. This sometimes means that one needs to find help in developing a forever body transformation. There are professionals who can work with those who are over weight to lose the pounds they have gained over time.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Losing Belly Fat
Whether you walk on the beach with your shirt off or you're just looking to shed a few pounds, maintaining a balanced nutrition regimen is essential for losing belly fat.
This may be common knowledge to the average person, yet obesity is still an enormous (no pun intended) problem in the U.S.
What you put into your body is one of, if not, the most crucial factors in losing (and gaining) weight in the abdominal region.
You can work out three hours a day, seven days a week, and still not get rid of that beer gut if you don't fuel your body properly.
If you want those "Hollywood" abs, then your nutrition plan should be taken just as seriously as your fitness program.
However, as simple as this sounds, eating for losing belly fat requires discipline... a discipline that pays off in the long run.
Some of the pay offs of losing belly fat include:
? Overall health
? Extended life
? Self confidence
? Being appealing to the opposite sex
? Being less prone to the health risks of obesity
? Being in good shape to handle life's physical challenges
? And more
Some of the common health risks of being overweight include:
? Diabetes
? Heart disease
? High blood pressure
? Osteoarthritis
? And certain cancers
This doesn't mean going on crash diets or developing eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia. It simply means consuming less daily calories than you burn.
While developing a new habit may seem difficult at first, don't worry. It's normal. It typically takes 21-straight days to build a new habit. After that, your road to losing belly fat and general health is endless.
If you need to lose weight and you're on a budget, that's not a problem. In fact, produce, some chicken, and some fish can be bought at the grocery store relatively cheap.
Always on the go? No worries. A lot of fast food restaurants have gotten on the health boat and have menus specifically for the health conscious.
When in doubt, shop the perimeter of the grocery store and avoid going down the aisles as much as possible. However, a lot of soups offer low-sodium brands.
Oh, and DRINK WATER! That can't be emphasized enough. Generally, 64 ounces of water is the rule. But when you're exercising and you want to get rid of fluid weight, you should aim to drink about an ounce of water per pound of body weight a day. Now I see your eyes getting big. Trust me, it can be done! Drink at least eight to 12 ounces of water upon waking up. At least 12 ounces of water during or after every meal. About 12 ounces before bed. The rest is actually easy. Who says you have to drink water by itself? How about filling your half of your glass with your favorite juice and the other half water? You'll find that this adds up.
Of course if you're serious about getting in gear and want to make a big difference fast, most local and commercial fitness centers have personal trainers, whose day-to-day job is helping people accomplish their goals...
But the first step to a new you begins with you putting your foot forward.
Jake Chappelle has been in the fitness industry for 10 years and is dedicated to helping people achieving their health and fitness goals.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Resisting Unexpected Surprises That Pop Up
Even having a daily plan of healthy meals and snacks can easily be thwarted by unexpected surprises that may pop up on any given day. Has that ever happened to you before - eating healthy all day, not a single thing detrimental, and then a friend or loved one pops up with a pizza for a sports game or brings over a cake to celebrate someone's birthday? Or a work colleague bringing in a dozen doughnuts or cupcakes for everyone to snack on in the office?
Yep, this can and does happen possibly far more frequently than you may have thought which can be very frustrating especially for someone who has made a commitment to improve their health. Nevertheless, even if these situations are out of our control, there are steps you can take to help better your chances of overcoming the temptations you will find yourself confronted with.
For instance, just the other day at our weekly Tuesday teacher staff development meeting after school, I walked into the room with tables full of mini Snickers bars and cups of pretzels and potato chips. As innocent as that may sound, were you aware that each mini-snickers packs a walloping 45 calories! And how often do you eat just one? More like 4-6 of those little guys. And that's not even taking into account the salted pretzels and chips that were staring at me for two hours.
To make matters worse, a huge cake was brought in towards the end of our meeting in "celebration" of everyone who had a birthday in the month of December and January. Here was the pinnacle of unexpected surprises! Up to this point of the day I literally had a perfect day of eating - only about 800 calories up until 3pm. Then to have this surprise pop up was definitely something I did not want, but unfortunately it was one of those unexpected surprises I had absolutely no control over.
A year ago I would easily have eaten ten mini Snickers, three cups of potato chips, and at least two pieces of cake. Add all that up and you get a grand total of about 1,500 calories! And that's not even an actual planned meal - just junk food.
So are you wondering what I ate at this particular meeting? A grand total of two mini snickers!
I know, I was proud of myself too. This was only possible due to the fact that I have been consciously planning out my meals every week and sticking with what I've set out to do. However in addition to that, I've also planned for situations such as these unexpected surprises that pop up from time to time.
Here is what I did...
Once I saw there was going to be unhealthy snacks littered in our meeting area, I immediately went back to my classroom and grabbed two bottles of water and an apple (I keep water and healthy snacks handy at all times in my room). Then as I headed back down to the meeting I drank an entire bottle of water to help curb my urges to munch. During the meeting as my eyes started wandering towards the snacks, I ate my apple and drank the other bottle of water. I wasn't craving any snacks after that and I really had only consumed about 100 total calories as opposed to more than 1,000 if I gave into the temptation.
By the end of the meeting as everyone was passing around cake and our meeting was coming to a close, I did treat myself to two mini Snickers as I left the room, proud of how I handled this unexpected surprise.
Hopefully the next time you are confronted with a situation like mine, you will be able to escape without littering your body with useless calories.
It can be a difficult to avoid the temptation especially if you are used to regularly eating unhealthy snacks. However when you truly recognize that filling your body with useless, fattening calories will do your body no good, you will soon be able to avoid situations like these and be proud of the fact that you are sticking with your weight loss commitment.
Stick with your plan to lose weight now, and you will reap the benefits in the future.
Gregory L. Gomez, M. Ed, has been teaching 5th grade in the LAUSD for 12 years and has recently embarked on a journey to lose weight, eat healthier, and finally get in shape!
Yep, this can and does happen possibly far more frequently than you may have thought which can be very frustrating especially for someone who has made a commitment to improve their health. Nevertheless, even if these situations are out of our control, there are steps you can take to help better your chances of overcoming the temptations you will find yourself confronted with.
For instance, just the other day at our weekly Tuesday teacher staff development meeting after school, I walked into the room with tables full of mini Snickers bars and cups of pretzels and potato chips. As innocent as that may sound, were you aware that each mini-snickers packs a walloping 45 calories! And how often do you eat just one? More like 4-6 of those little guys. And that's not even taking into account the salted pretzels and chips that were staring at me for two hours.
To make matters worse, a huge cake was brought in towards the end of our meeting in "celebration" of everyone who had a birthday in the month of December and January. Here was the pinnacle of unexpected surprises! Up to this point of the day I literally had a perfect day of eating - only about 800 calories up until 3pm. Then to have this surprise pop up was definitely something I did not want, but unfortunately it was one of those unexpected surprises I had absolutely no control over.
A year ago I would easily have eaten ten mini Snickers, three cups of potato chips, and at least two pieces of cake. Add all that up and you get a grand total of about 1,500 calories! And that's not even an actual planned meal - just junk food.
So are you wondering what I ate at this particular meeting? A grand total of two mini snickers!
I know, I was proud of myself too. This was only possible due to the fact that I have been consciously planning out my meals every week and sticking with what I've set out to do. However in addition to that, I've also planned for situations such as these unexpected surprises that pop up from time to time.
Here is what I did...
Once I saw there was going to be unhealthy snacks littered in our meeting area, I immediately went back to my classroom and grabbed two bottles of water and an apple (I keep water and healthy snacks handy at all times in my room). Then as I headed back down to the meeting I drank an entire bottle of water to help curb my urges to munch. During the meeting as my eyes started wandering towards the snacks, I ate my apple and drank the other bottle of water. I wasn't craving any snacks after that and I really had only consumed about 100 total calories as opposed to more than 1,000 if I gave into the temptation.
By the end of the meeting as everyone was passing around cake and our meeting was coming to a close, I did treat myself to two mini Snickers as I left the room, proud of how I handled this unexpected surprise.
Hopefully the next time you are confronted with a situation like mine, you will be able to escape without littering your body with useless calories.
It can be a difficult to avoid the temptation especially if you are used to regularly eating unhealthy snacks. However when you truly recognize that filling your body with useless, fattening calories will do your body no good, you will soon be able to avoid situations like these and be proud of the fact that you are sticking with your weight loss commitment.
Stick with your plan to lose weight now, and you will reap the benefits in the future.
Gregory L. Gomez, M. Ed, has been teaching 5th grade in the LAUSD for 12 years and has recently embarked on a journey to lose weight, eat healthier, and finally get in shape!
Thursday, February 21, 2013
How To Stop Eating - Ending Overeating
Too much eating, especially the unhealthy, non-nutritious type of food, can pose dangers to the human body. Therefore, you should learn how to spot and then stop eating the non-nutritious types of foods as early in life as possible. This will help you avoid the development of an eating obsession along with all of the health issues involved. Many harmful things may be contained in the processed foods you eat that create damage to your heart, liver and other organs. An important point to remember, not everything you ingest is eliminated from your body.
Strategies To Stop Eating
There are many strategies that can be used for stopping eating or eating less. However, there is no one size fits all when it comes to reforming eating habits. One method is to drink a large glass of water before eating. This helps give you a sense of fullness and aides turning off the hunger switch. Your body needs a considerable amount of water to eliminate waste and prevent dehydration. Another technique is to eat a handful of Walnuts before each meal. Walnuts are a healthy food and provide many needed nutrients. Thus both methods are a win-win.
Stop Eating Through Dieting
The most common approach used in how to lose weight, burn fat and shed those awful pounds is through dieting. Some people develop their own daily diet plan while others will literally starve themselves just to shed the pounds. Stop eating by starving yourself is counter productive as the weight always returns along with a few more pounds. You can actually starve your way to obesity. The only way to stop eating is not to stop eating-just change what you eat, how often you eat and how much you eat. The best way to accomplish this for most people is through the use of a professional diet plan and a mentor.
Using The Nutritionist's Way
Unfortunately a lot of people read an article in some magazine or read an ad about the new "Miracle Drug for Weight Loss" or of some new "Fad Diet" and off they go to yet another disappointment. The only thing lighter is their wallet. Experts on dieting know best regarding the appropriate diet plans, methods to burn fat as well as steps to control eating addictions and prevent health-related problems. Following their advice and guidance will ensure that you are eating the right foods in the right amounts. This will help you stay healthy and boost your energy as you continue to lose weight. Either your Doctor can advise you or may refer you to a Certified Nutritionist.
Many people will give you advice on stopping your eating compulsion and most are well intended. But two things you really should do are find a diet plan or program that you like (access to a mentor should be included in the diet program) and check with your physician before beginning a diet program or exercise program that may accompany your diet plan. So the answer is not to stop eating-just stop your old eating habits.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
How to Reduce Weight in Three Easy Steps
Here's a simple, straightforward method how to reduce weight in three simple steps. This could very well be your ticket to a more well rounded and healthy life. When you follow these steps, you will have in your hands the keys to make a difference in the overall amount you weigh.
But remember, all the tips in the world won't matter unless you are willing make some real changes in the way you lead your day to day life. This is what will really count when it comes down to it. Sure the advice will be invaluable, but at the same time making the firm mental commitment to stick with it day in and day out will truly be what guides you through this entire process.
Three tips how to reduce weight on a daily basis.
1) Rid Your House of Unhealthy Choices.
It's really important to get rid of items from you kitchen that are unhealthy. Choices like potato chips, crackers, cookies, pies, cupcakes, and soda are all items that do have a place in a healthy household. When you do not have these choices around to munch on, you can then ensure you only have healthy choices in your refrigerator and pantries like fruits, granola bars, vegetables, rice cakes, yogurt, jello, almonds, raisins, applesauce, to give you some ideas to start with. These are the types of foods you want to have at all times so when you are in the mood for a snack, you will have something that is healthy for you and not detrimental to your weight loss plan.
2) Make All Your Meals.
An important way to reduce weight regularly is to make sure you cook or at least prepare your healthy meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. When you concentrate on preparing your meals, you won't ever need to go out and get fast food or order pizza which as you will probably agree generally go way overboard in calories and fat content. Get in the habit of planning out your meals on a week by week basis so you will never have to be stumped with what's for the next meal. Maybe you can plan out your weekly menu on a Sunday afternoon or evening so that you start each week on a healthy note.
3) Keep Track of Your Progress Each and Every Week.
Now that you've gotten rid of the unhealthy options that may have been taking up space in your kitchen, and you are now planning out your healthy meals on a weekly basis, you will start to lose weight on a consistent basis, as long as you don't stray often from the plan. Final point is to make sure you keep track of your weight loss progress each and every week. Try to get in the habit of weighing yourself at the end of each work week in the morning and track the amount in a small journal or wall calendar you keep right by the scale. Remember, if you are losing 1-2 pounds every week, you are well on your way to weight loss success! Even if that does not sound like much, it is actually the positive progress you are looking for. 1-2 pounds per week is 4-8 pounds every month, or better yet 24-48 pounds in 6 months! Do you see how when you combine a number of consistent efforts how they can help produce dramatic results when you learn how to reduce weight in an proper way? Best wishes on your weight loss journey!
Gregory L. Gomez, M. Ed, has been teaching 5th grade in the LAUSD for 12 years and has recently embarked on a journey to lose weight, eat healthier, and finally get in shape!
But remember, all the tips in the world won't matter unless you are willing make some real changes in the way you lead your day to day life. This is what will really count when it comes down to it. Sure the advice will be invaluable, but at the same time making the firm mental commitment to stick with it day in and day out will truly be what guides you through this entire process.
Three tips how to reduce weight on a daily basis.
1) Rid Your House of Unhealthy Choices.
It's really important to get rid of items from you kitchen that are unhealthy. Choices like potato chips, crackers, cookies, pies, cupcakes, and soda are all items that do have a place in a healthy household. When you do not have these choices around to munch on, you can then ensure you only have healthy choices in your refrigerator and pantries like fruits, granola bars, vegetables, rice cakes, yogurt, jello, almonds, raisins, applesauce, to give you some ideas to start with. These are the types of foods you want to have at all times so when you are in the mood for a snack, you will have something that is healthy for you and not detrimental to your weight loss plan.
2) Make All Your Meals.
An important way to reduce weight regularly is to make sure you cook or at least prepare your healthy meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. When you concentrate on preparing your meals, you won't ever need to go out and get fast food or order pizza which as you will probably agree generally go way overboard in calories and fat content. Get in the habit of planning out your meals on a week by week basis so you will never have to be stumped with what's for the next meal. Maybe you can plan out your weekly menu on a Sunday afternoon or evening so that you start each week on a healthy note.
3) Keep Track of Your Progress Each and Every Week.
Now that you've gotten rid of the unhealthy options that may have been taking up space in your kitchen, and you are now planning out your healthy meals on a weekly basis, you will start to lose weight on a consistent basis, as long as you don't stray often from the plan. Final point is to make sure you keep track of your weight loss progress each and every week. Try to get in the habit of weighing yourself at the end of each work week in the morning and track the amount in a small journal or wall calendar you keep right by the scale. Remember, if you are losing 1-2 pounds every week, you are well on your way to weight loss success! Even if that does not sound like much, it is actually the positive progress you are looking for. 1-2 pounds per week is 4-8 pounds every month, or better yet 24-48 pounds in 6 months! Do you see how when you combine a number of consistent efforts how they can help produce dramatic results when you learn how to reduce weight in an proper way? Best wishes on your weight loss journey!
Gregory L. Gomez, M. Ed, has been teaching 5th grade in the LAUSD for 12 years and has recently embarked on a journey to lose weight, eat healthier, and finally get in shape!
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Losing Weight by Eating Metabolism Food? Lose Your Bad Habits First
To lose weight you need food to increase your metabolism of course, but before you find the important ingredients you need to change your bad habits for a successful weight loss.
It doesn't have to be a tough quest changing your bad habits because you can start by using a simple trick of thinking simple. By thinking simple you avoid all the different information about how you should lose weight. All you need to do is to change your bad habits into some healthy habits.
The truth about achieving a lasting weight loss is the fact that all the changes you made when you were overweight and actually helped you to achieve your desired weight loss will continue to keep your weight down. These changes you have to implement in your daily schedule forever to stay slim and as such it also includes which foods that can increase your metabolism or what exercises are most beneficial for you in your daily time schedule.
How do you change your habits the easy way then? To answer this question I need to show you some simple examples of how to turn a bad habit into a good habit:
Espresso or Latte? Do you drink a lot of Latte each day? You consume a lot of calorie intake you probably don't know about. Drink Espresso instead and you avoid the extra calories.
Car or Walk? Do you like most people prefer to use the car for something you could manage by walking, cycling or taking the subway? Whatever reason you have for using the car, try considering if you could do this in combination with some physical action, not only for losing weight, but also to benefit your body and mind.
Whole Wheat or Whole Grain? Whole wheat saturates less than whole grain and its poor on nutrients. You should really only eat whole grain because of the fibers which make you feel full longer and they are nutrient dense with plenty of complex minerals, carbs, antioxidants, vitamins and of course fiber.
Eat & Drink or Active? Do you when you are with friends drink and eat as a social thing? Instead you could do physical activities like doing sport, exercising or just taking a walk together just once in a while.
Soda or Water? Soda tastes good and they give you the hunger for another one and another one and... Sodas are sugar bombs no matter what. If you want to lose some pounds you need to change soda with a non-sugar drink like water which is the best healthy way to increase your metabolism.
The Elevator or the Stairs? I'm not telling you to take the stairs 40 floors up or down but occasionally each day you should take the stairs a floor or two for some exercise instead of the elevator. Instead of sending a mail to a person one floor down, take a walk and talk to the person.
You can probably come up with a lot of these small habits you have which could be optimized including finding the food that increases metabolism and when you start changing these small habits you have found your way to not only losing weight right now but also to keep it a lasting weight loss.
Get everything you need on how to get skinny and have an overall healthy lifestyle.
Monday, February 18, 2013
The Do's and Don'ts on How to Lose Stomach Fat
Losing stomach fat and toning your belly area, does not have to be a long and tedious battle. If you buy into all those diet programs and supplements that cause the body to heat up, generating energy to promote fat burning(with exercise), but also eat you alive from the inside out, then you will be on a long, long road to losing stomach fat, and will likely never reach your goal.
You can learn how to tone your belly area, and get rid of those love handles, but if you do not apply some basic principles, you will not get anywhere. Let us talk about the things you need to do, and things you need to stop doing.
Do not: Drink any sodas, caffeinated beverages, and energy drinks. You will also need to stop eating all processed or preserved foods, and anything else that has empty calories. All of those are counterproductive towards your goal of losing stomach fat and toning your belly.
Do: You will need to start drinking a whole lot more water. Water flushes out the toxins, helps the body to break foods down, and turn fat and calories into energy, while moving nutrients into a synergistic network of processes in the body, that utilizes these building blocks to give you energy.
Exercise to build more body muscles. Increase your protein to help repair muscles after your workouts. Take multi vitamins', this will help to keep the immune system functioning at a high rate to keep you more healthy.
Do not: Eat Junk foods labeled as "healthy"! They are often worse for your body, and are higher in fat content and other harmful ingredients.
One example
; Diet sodas contain aspartame, which is a sugar substitute that the body converts into formaldehyde in the body!
By eliminating all these un-healthy foods, you will stop the constant trauma your body has likely been going through. These un-healthy foods are unnatural, and have no place in the body. In fact, they are extremely counterproductive and harmful towards you losing stomach fat. They make the body ill, and it cannot defend itself. When that happens, you get tired and lazy, because the body is working 100 times harder than it has to! Gaining weight is a side effect of this
.
Do: Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, foods rich in minerals, fiber, and nutrients. Base this on actually reading the ingredients, and not just the label. Get your food fresh, instead of trusting packaged or frozen vegetables. Purchase these from the fruit and veggies section of the supermarket, and cook them yourself.
This way, you know what is in your food, and know that they contain no preservatives. Many packages say they are preservatives free, but if you read the ingredients, they may not be!
Your body can lose stomach fat all by itself without anything but nutrients, fiber, and water (lots of water), and SOME exercise. This can be as simple as cleaning the house more often, walking around the block, or doing some jumping jacks in place.
Do not starve yourself
This is the most ridiculous thing you can do. No diet that asks you to starve yourself, or only eat so-called healthy foods, can really help you. You need to eat more than 3 times a day! However, do not eat full meals 3 times a day. This is too much food and too much work at one time for the body; this will lead to you gaining weight!
Do: Eat 6-8 small meals throughout the day. In other words, you should eat more by the end of the day than you do with the three large meals, but in smaller quantities. Eating once every 2 - 3 hours should do it. Do not forget, drink lots of water thought the day.
Eating more consistently, and making sure to eat healthy foods which are natural, organic, and good for your body, will give you a serious weight loss and energy gain. Eating consistently puts your metabolism in work mode all the time.
Eating every couple of hours, makes your metabolism work very efficiently, and since it does not have to warm up after several hours of fasting, it is ready to go and burn fat off as energy, instead of storing it. This does what an energy drink is supposed to do without the harmful effects. Just this step alone, is equal to the potential power you want in an energy drink!
The bonus, if you follow the steps above (seems simple, but are quite powerful if your consistent about it) you will FEEL more energetic, and being active will be something you crave. Those will both help to burn off that energy, and you will know your burning off that belly fat at the same time!
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Warning: Why Taking Weight Loss Supplements Can PREVENT You From Losing Weight!
$2,400,000,000... in the U.S. ALONE! What's that massive number for? That's how much the weight loss supplements industry makes per year in just the United States!
Now, why is it such a lucrative industry you ask? Well, even though most won't admit it, the primary reason most of us will focus primarily on the usage of supplements and diet pills to help us lose weight is because we either don't won't to eat the right foods, we don't want to be bothered with fitness, or we just want to hurry up and get the fastest results possible.
In this article, I'm going to talk about one very important reason why you should not FOCUS on taking supplements for losing weight... and why if you do, your chances of getting results will be very slim... to say the least.
Now, when you look at that massive $2.4 billion dollar number, the one key thing to take into consideration is that it is not just one or a few companies that take a share of that number. There are SEVERAL products and companies on the market... and right there lies the problem...
There is so much to choose from!
When you have such a large number of different celebrities, T.V. shows, online websites, blogs, newsletters, etc. all recommending to you all types of supplements... and will then keep recommending to you later on a different supplement (*insert sarcastic face here*
)... you can clearly see how this can become a problem!
What ends up happening for most is that they get overwhelmed and confused. With that, they end up first thinking that the only way to get in shape is by taking supplements, and second, they get paralyzed in making a decision because there's just so much to choose from.
SOLUTION?
You're going to hate me for this. But, I don't have a super secret solution. In fact, my solution to fixing this problem is something you already know deep down inside... and that would be to stop focusing on what supplement or diet pill to take and instead focus on getting proper nutrition and doing the right types of exercises!
I'm sorry I don't have some magical alternative, but really that's all it comes down to. FOOD is where you get the key nutrients that your body needs to lose weight, burn fat, and get you toned. Of course you need to eat the right foods in the right way to ensure you get results... and that's where a highly effective and 100% all natural diet comes into play.
And exercising at least a few times a week with muscle training and cardio workouts is of course a necessary part of you getting the body you've always wanted.
Now, I don't want you to get me wrong here. I'm not saying that all supplements are bad. What I'm saying is that your primary focus should be on eating the right foods in the right way and doing the right types of fitness.
If you happen to come across NATURAL supplements that can help improve your body and your weight loss goals (i.e. Chromium, Green Tea Extract, and Ecklonia Cava to name a few), and as long as you have consulted your physician, then by all means consider adding them ALONG with a good diet and fitness program. Just remember this phrase: "A supplement is a SUPPLEMENT... not a REPLACEMENT."
By the way, if you want to EASILY and NATURALLY Melt Away Fat FAST and permanently lose 9 pounds of FAT every 11 days, then the diet I used and highly recommend is the "calorie shifting diet" from Fat Loss 4 Idiots...
Now, why is it such a lucrative industry you ask? Well, even though most won't admit it, the primary reason most of us will focus primarily on the usage of supplements and diet pills to help us lose weight is because we either don't won't to eat the right foods, we don't want to be bothered with fitness, or we just want to hurry up and get the fastest results possible.
In this article, I'm going to talk about one very important reason why you should not FOCUS on taking supplements for losing weight... and why if you do, your chances of getting results will be very slim... to say the least.
Now, when you look at that massive $2.4 billion dollar number, the one key thing to take into consideration is that it is not just one or a few companies that take a share of that number. There are SEVERAL products and companies on the market... and right there lies the problem...
There is so much to choose from!
When you have such a large number of different celebrities, T.V. shows, online websites, blogs, newsletters, etc. all recommending to you all types of supplements... and will then keep recommending to you later on a different supplement (*insert sarcastic face here*
)... you can clearly see how this can become a problem!
What ends up happening for most is that they get overwhelmed and confused. With that, they end up first thinking that the only way to get in shape is by taking supplements, and second, they get paralyzed in making a decision because there's just so much to choose from.
SOLUTION?
You're going to hate me for this. But, I don't have a super secret solution. In fact, my solution to fixing this problem is something you already know deep down inside... and that would be to stop focusing on what supplement or diet pill to take and instead focus on getting proper nutrition and doing the right types of exercises!
I'm sorry I don't have some magical alternative, but really that's all it comes down to. FOOD is where you get the key nutrients that your body needs to lose weight, burn fat, and get you toned. Of course you need to eat the right foods in the right way to ensure you get results... and that's where a highly effective and 100% all natural diet comes into play.
And exercising at least a few times a week with muscle training and cardio workouts is of course a necessary part of you getting the body you've always wanted.
Now, I don't want you to get me wrong here. I'm not saying that all supplements are bad. What I'm saying is that your primary focus should be on eating the right foods in the right way and doing the right types of fitness.
If you happen to come across NATURAL supplements that can help improve your body and your weight loss goals (i.e. Chromium, Green Tea Extract, and Ecklonia Cava to name a few), and as long as you have consulted your physician, then by all means consider adding them ALONG with a good diet and fitness program. Just remember this phrase: "A supplement is a SUPPLEMENT... not a REPLACEMENT."
By the way, if you want to EASILY and NATURALLY Melt Away Fat FAST and permanently lose 9 pounds of FAT every 11 days, then the diet I used and highly recommend is the "calorie shifting diet" from Fat Loss 4 Idiots...
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Simple Steps Toward a Slimmer Body
In the war against bulging waistlines, many have fought and many have subsequently failed. Of all the problems that people face, those about weight are the ones that tend to linger around the longest. A good reason for this is that people tend to make losing weight more complicated than it should really be. In reality, the basics of weight loss are very simple. Simple slimming tips are both easy to follow and also highly effective.
The part of losing weight that most people struggle with is dieting. It makes sense seeing as how a person will not get big unless a lot of food is involved. The quality of food is the common issue. It is infinitely easier to get an oily hamburger these days than it was in the past. The ease of it makes it more tempting and it is a trap a lot of people for. Then there is also the issue of portion size. A lot of food is a lot no matter in what context, but there is a way to cut down on consumption without starving the body. The simplest slimming tips can put an end to these 2 dieting issues. When it comes to the quality of food, it is important to pay attention to what makes it up. If it is an oily and processed piece of meat that looks nothing like a natural cut then it is likely to be loaded with calories and fat. There is still room for the occasional cheeseburger but limiting but its consumption should be limited. Replace those burger meals with leaner cuts of meat. Leaner cuts contain less fat and they still retain the meaty flavor people love. It could also help to bake them instead of frying them. Portion sizes also need to be monitored. To cut down on consumption, use the water trick. This means drinking a glass of water before eating. The addition of water makes the stomach feel fuller and the tendency to eat less is promoted. Slimming tips such as these can help greatly without the handicap of being too complicated.
Exercising is another essential activity for people trying to lose weight. The unfortunate thing with exercise is that it can be time consuming and most people do not have time for it. There are slimming tips however, that can be integrated into daily life without being a burden on people's schedules. Walking more can help people lose weight. This little form of activity keeps the body going and it burns calories. If it's done regularly and frequently throughout the day then it can really work wonders on the body.
It also pays to get up in the morning to exercise. The sunrise does not just signal the new day, it also signifies the peak hours for exercise. Morning exercises excel at burning fat and a regular regimen of them will get the body in shape quicker. Following these slimming tips can help greatly when it comes to losing weight.
Friday, February 15, 2013
If You're a Little Overweight You May Not Be in Such Bad Shape
In a recent study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association recently, being slightly overweight actually reduces the risk of dying early. The study does show what we have all assumed: that obesity does indeed increase the risk of early death. This does go against the thinking commonly held that risk of death is directly proportional to the amount a person is overweight.
The study was conducted on data from 97 different studies of almost three million people in the US, China, Europe, Australia, Japan, India, Mexico and Brazil. The Body Mass Index, or BMI, which is a measurement of body fat accounting for height and weight, was a major factor that the researchers evaluated. The study specifically found that obese people had an 18% higher risk than people of normal weight, but people who were considered overweight but not obese had a 6% lower risk of death than the normal weight base.
A few of the reasons given for this are:
• Heavier people may feel they are more at risk, so they are more apt to get regular checkups and address health issues promptly.
• Some fat may actually be cardio-protective for many people.
• Some people who are heavier may have greater resiliency and therefore are better able to deal with stress to the system when it occurs.
It is important to note that this study did not find a cause-and-effect relationship between a person's weight and premature death risk. Body weight alone is not a predictor of death risk. Beyond body mass index are such factors as cholesterol, smoking, overall fitness, family history and mental health that also play immense rolls in premature death. We should think of our body mass index as merely a parameter, as the issues surrounding premature death are quite complex.
Furthermore, the study only looks at death, and not chronic medical conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, stroke and cardiac risk factors, cancer risk, fatty liver and gall bladder disease. Any one of these by themselves may not be killers, at least not in the short-term, but over time could, and probably will cause health complications. This study only accounts for mortality caused directly by being overweight.
So what does this study all mean? First, and most obvious, is that being obese is unquestionably a dangerous health situation. It must be avoided at all costs. Next, perhaps we must look at what overweight really is. If being overweight by our present standards of body mass index does not present a health risk, maybe we should take another look at what we define as normal.
Lastly, as with any study this generalizes about people, and although there are many similarities, everybody is a little different. For one person to carry some excess weight there may never be any health issues at all. But for others, even a little excess weight may trigger problems. Plus of course as we move into different stages of our lives, what was once not an issue suddenly rears its ugly head. We think the best advice is to know your own body, keep informed, and always be proactive to providing the best for your long-term health.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Losing Weight the Effective Way
Every time the New Year rolls around people start becoming more mindful of their waistlines. It is a new year after all and another year of being out of shape is not exactly ideal. It is a challenge to slim down though. With all the conveniences available at people's fingertips, it becomes incredibly easier to just sit back, relax and watch the pounds pile up. That New Year's resolution would be a shame though if it gets wasted again. It may be time to try losing weight again this year and maybe this time it will actually work. With these slimming tips, that resolution will be as good as done.
More people tend to struggle with the dieting aspect of weight-loss than they do the exercise part. It is also very obvious why. People do not grow to that size without being an avid lover of food. That alone is relatively harmless, but being a lover of bad food, that is what gets people in trouble. A good diet is basically all about making sure the body gets what it needs and that it avoids what is bad for it but before the details of the diet are even explored there is an even more basic step that people need to follow. The best slimming tips always make it a point to state how important water is. There is a reason for that. Water is the primary cleanser of the body. Drinking lots of it means that the insides of the body are cleaner and less crowded with toxins. Drinking water is the first step; the next is going to be a bit more substantial. Like mothers always say, green vegetables are good for the body, and they are. Green vegetables are excellent sources of essential vitamins and minerals. Eating them is usually the issue, seeing as how they tend to have a very bitter flavor. Remedy this by tossing them into a salad along with a healthy homemade dressing. This makes them more appealing. These dietary slimming tips infuse the body with vitamins and minerals and also rid it of harmful toxins.
There is very little mystery about what exercise about. They may be more sophisticated routines that target certain muscle groups or other exercise forms that put less stress on the body, but the bottom line is that they are all designed to put the body in motion.
The best slimming tips when it comes to exercising are also modeled around the basic idea that a body in motion is going to be healthier than one that is stationary. People can exercise even from the comfort of their own homes. Walk up the stairs a few times, may be do a little jogging in place; all of these can work for as they are done consistently. The simple nature of these slimming tips is sure to make the exercising ordeal a lot less difficult.
More people tend to struggle with the dieting aspect of weight-loss than they do the exercise part. It is also very obvious why. People do not grow to that size without being an avid lover of food. That alone is relatively harmless, but being a lover of bad food, that is what gets people in trouble. A good diet is basically all about making sure the body gets what it needs and that it avoids what is bad for it but before the details of the diet are even explored there is an even more basic step that people need to follow. The best slimming tips always make it a point to state how important water is. There is a reason for that. Water is the primary cleanser of the body. Drinking lots of it means that the insides of the body are cleaner and less crowded with toxins. Drinking water is the first step; the next is going to be a bit more substantial. Like mothers always say, green vegetables are good for the body, and they are. Green vegetables are excellent sources of essential vitamins and minerals. Eating them is usually the issue, seeing as how they tend to have a very bitter flavor. Remedy this by tossing them into a salad along with a healthy homemade dressing. This makes them more appealing. These dietary slimming tips infuse the body with vitamins and minerals and also rid it of harmful toxins.
There is very little mystery about what exercise about. They may be more sophisticated routines that target certain muscle groups or other exercise forms that put less stress on the body, but the bottom line is that they are all designed to put the body in motion.
The best slimming tips when it comes to exercising are also modeled around the basic idea that a body in motion is going to be healthier than one that is stationary. People can exercise even from the comfort of their own homes. Walk up the stairs a few times, may be do a little jogging in place; all of these can work for as they are done consistently. The simple nature of these slimming tips is sure to make the exercising ordeal a lot less difficult.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Losing Weight Slowly? Try These Easy Tips!
Your health should be a very big priority to you. One of the biggest dangers to your health is an excessive amount of weight. By losing weight, you can improve your life dramatically and add years to your lifetime. Losing weight is not easy, but by trying the following tips you can make a dent in your progress.
Craving french fries? Why not make your own sweet potato fries to help satisfy your desire!
If you bake them with some Cajun spices you'll be reducing the fat found in fried potatoes and also getting a more flavorful food. If you feel the need to dip them, try mustard as a low-sugar alternative to ketchup.
A good way to lose weight is to avoid eating out at unhealthy restaurants, especially all you can eat buffets. All you can eat buffets encourage you to eat as much as you can in one sitting, and that's a surefire way to put on a lot of fat.
If you are used to having bacon bits all over your salads, you can have something similar that is much more healthy. Taking low fat ham and crisping it in a non-stick pan, can have the same effect as bacon. Crumble it up and sprinkle it on your salads.
When you are trying to lose weight, consider cutting out sugary drinks such as soda, iced tea, lemonade, and even juice. These drinks have almost no nutritional value in them and are simply empty calories. Instead, drink more water. Water contains no calories and has many benefits for your body.
Eat snacks between meals to keep you feeling satisfied and to stop you from reaching for something unhealthy. Keep container of sunflower seeds on your desk with a spoon so if you get hungry you can just grab a spoonful to help tide you over until your next meal.
Keep at it. No matter how discouraged you get, keep in mind why you want to lose weight and how it will benefit you. This will help you stick with your weight loss plan. Sometimes you may just need to remind yourself the reason you want to lose weight.
People who are trying to lose weight should implement lifestyle changes to their diets rather than try a short term diet. Going on a fad diet or a temporary diet may work initially, but as soon as the diet is over, you will go right back to your unhealthy eating habits.
Taking breaks during meals is an excellent way to evaluate if you are still hungry. Stop about half-way through your dinner and sit for about 30 seconds before continuing to eat. You may find that you are done eating and you don't need to continue. That will have saved you a lot of calories that you really didn't need.
Trade in that big plate of eggs in the morning for a single bowl of cereal. While this may seem a bit drastic for some of you, trading in a traditional bacon and eggs breakfast for a bowl of healthy cereal can go a long way in slimming down your waist line and giving you a leaner figure.
If you feel like food is your only source of pleasure, then you should make sure that you reconnect with other things in your life that you particularly enjoy. Some things that you may enjoy include music, sports, volunteer work, movies or the visual arts. Keep your life full of fulfillment.
Eat meals slowly, chewing thoroughly and enjoying each bite. It takes a while for your body to start feeling full, so if you eat too quickly, you will consume more than you need before you realize your stomach is full. Also, if you're eating healthy, good-tasting meals, you'll enjoy your food more by savoring it, which may prevent you from feeling deprived by your diet.
Totally eliminate mayonnaise from your diet because it can pack on a lot of fat and calories to your diet that you really do not need. You can add an additional 200 calories to your sandwich by just adding mayo. There are low calorie alternatives like mustard and horseradish.
Write a weight loss journal while accomplishing your weight loss goals. The journal can contain a list of foods and calories you eat or it can be a journal about your feelings towards weight loss. You can even list pros and cons before considering purchasing a fatty dessert or eating a calorie-laden meal.
Cooking your own food can be very useful if you are trying to lose weight. Many people buy processed foods because it is quicker and simpler than cooking and baking. However, unless you are a careful label reader, it can be difficult to know exactly what you are putting in your body. Portion sizes are bigger now than ever before. Cooking allows you to control what you put into your food and hence what goes into your body. Many cookbooks have calories listed near the recipe, so you can monitor your intake.
Skipping meals is a dangerous habit that will easily thwart your weight loss goals. Skipping a meal might seem like an easy way to cut down on calorie intake, but your body will subconsciously make up for the missed calories and you'll end up eating far too much during your next meal.
Be realistic in your weight-loss goals. Healthy weight loss is 1-2 pounds per week. This may not seem like very much, but it will allow your body to adjust to its new shape. Losing weight too quickly can slow down your metabolism, making it harder for you to reach your ultimate goal.
It is a good idea to imagine what your life would be like if you lost weight. Many people imagine themselves smaller than they are but do not do anything about it. You can buy an outfit that is the size you want to be and hang it on your wall. Every time you do not feel like working out or you want to eat something bad you can look at the outfit for motivation.
As you have read from the previous tips, there are many things you can do to facilitate weight loss. The first step is sticking to these tips and actually doing them. Just reading will not help you lose weight, you have to get up and do it. By losing the weight, you will feel healthier and happier.
Craving french fries? Why not make your own sweet potato fries to help satisfy your desire!
If you bake them with some Cajun spices you'll be reducing the fat found in fried potatoes and also getting a more flavorful food. If you feel the need to dip them, try mustard as a low-sugar alternative to ketchup.
A good way to lose weight is to avoid eating out at unhealthy restaurants, especially all you can eat buffets. All you can eat buffets encourage you to eat as much as you can in one sitting, and that's a surefire way to put on a lot of fat.
If you are used to having bacon bits all over your salads, you can have something similar that is much more healthy. Taking low fat ham and crisping it in a non-stick pan, can have the same effect as bacon. Crumble it up and sprinkle it on your salads.
When you are trying to lose weight, consider cutting out sugary drinks such as soda, iced tea, lemonade, and even juice. These drinks have almost no nutritional value in them and are simply empty calories. Instead, drink more water. Water contains no calories and has many benefits for your body.
Eat snacks between meals to keep you feeling satisfied and to stop you from reaching for something unhealthy. Keep container of sunflower seeds on your desk with a spoon so if you get hungry you can just grab a spoonful to help tide you over until your next meal.
Keep at it. No matter how discouraged you get, keep in mind why you want to lose weight and how it will benefit you. This will help you stick with your weight loss plan. Sometimes you may just need to remind yourself the reason you want to lose weight.
People who are trying to lose weight should implement lifestyle changes to their diets rather than try a short term diet. Going on a fad diet or a temporary diet may work initially, but as soon as the diet is over, you will go right back to your unhealthy eating habits.
Taking breaks during meals is an excellent way to evaluate if you are still hungry. Stop about half-way through your dinner and sit for about 30 seconds before continuing to eat. You may find that you are done eating and you don't need to continue. That will have saved you a lot of calories that you really didn't need.
Trade in that big plate of eggs in the morning for a single bowl of cereal. While this may seem a bit drastic for some of you, trading in a traditional bacon and eggs breakfast for a bowl of healthy cereal can go a long way in slimming down your waist line and giving you a leaner figure.
If you feel like food is your only source of pleasure, then you should make sure that you reconnect with other things in your life that you particularly enjoy. Some things that you may enjoy include music, sports, volunteer work, movies or the visual arts. Keep your life full of fulfillment.
Eat meals slowly, chewing thoroughly and enjoying each bite. It takes a while for your body to start feeling full, so if you eat too quickly, you will consume more than you need before you realize your stomach is full. Also, if you're eating healthy, good-tasting meals, you'll enjoy your food more by savoring it, which may prevent you from feeling deprived by your diet.
Totally eliminate mayonnaise from your diet because it can pack on a lot of fat and calories to your diet that you really do not need. You can add an additional 200 calories to your sandwich by just adding mayo. There are low calorie alternatives like mustard and horseradish.
Write a weight loss journal while accomplishing your weight loss goals. The journal can contain a list of foods and calories you eat or it can be a journal about your feelings towards weight loss. You can even list pros and cons before considering purchasing a fatty dessert or eating a calorie-laden meal.
Cooking your own food can be very useful if you are trying to lose weight. Many people buy processed foods because it is quicker and simpler than cooking and baking. However, unless you are a careful label reader, it can be difficult to know exactly what you are putting in your body. Portion sizes are bigger now than ever before. Cooking allows you to control what you put into your food and hence what goes into your body. Many cookbooks have calories listed near the recipe, so you can monitor your intake.
Skipping meals is a dangerous habit that will easily thwart your weight loss goals. Skipping a meal might seem like an easy way to cut down on calorie intake, but your body will subconsciously make up for the missed calories and you'll end up eating far too much during your next meal.
Be realistic in your weight-loss goals. Healthy weight loss is 1-2 pounds per week. This may not seem like very much, but it will allow your body to adjust to its new shape. Losing weight too quickly can slow down your metabolism, making it harder for you to reach your ultimate goal.
It is a good idea to imagine what your life would be like if you lost weight. Many people imagine themselves smaller than they are but do not do anything about it. You can buy an outfit that is the size you want to be and hang it on your wall. Every time you do not feel like working out or you want to eat something bad you can look at the outfit for motivation.
As you have read from the previous tips, there are many things you can do to facilitate weight loss. The first step is sticking to these tips and actually doing them. Just reading will not help you lose weight, you have to get up and do it. By losing the weight, you will feel healthier and happier.
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